Dwayne is standing at the back of the room. His sport coat is too narrow in the shoulders, and his tie is askew.   Standing next to him is Marlene Preen, President of the McLennan County Republican Club.  She wrings her hands and scans the crowd for signs of trouble.   “I’m worried he’s going… Read More

Gonzo Garza reclines in his bed, watching the storm rage outside. The rain falls in heavy curtains, obscuring his view of the Capitol’s pink dome.   Tori Mangonel sits naked on the other side of the bed, facing the wall.  Gonzo stares at her back.   “Where’s your car?” he asks.   Mangonel ignores him… Read More

“I’ve been workin four tens, and then I’m doin this now on my days off.  The money’s good.” He purses his lips, and nods slowly, “I’m thinkin about doin it full time.”   Carol Ann King does not respond, and the man seems to realize that he’s said too much.  He smiles sheepishly.   King… Read More

Ellie Endsley wakes when the heavy door in a neighboring hotel room slams shut.   The computer on which Endlsey was working when she fell asleep comes to life. She squeezes her eyes shut and turns away. “Off” she pleads, and the light is extinguished.   It’s late. Through the wall, she hears a man’s… Read More

Ellie Endsley and James Carlos Cates are huddled together around a small table. Just down the hall from the kitchen in which they sit is the City of Edinburg’s Council Chamber and public hearing room.   There’s another couple in the kitchen – a man and a woman. They are huddled close, toying with empty… Read More

They’ve been putting out yard signs for more than 12 hours, and it’s just after midnight on a Thursday. Bud’s driving, and Kerry is curled up in the passenger seat, trying to sleep.   “He’s the one, right?” Bud asks again.   Kerry moans plaintively. She tries to turn farther away from Bud, but her… Read More

“She was driving and I was in the passenger seat, because the older we got, the clearer it was to both of us that she was the better navigator. She was probably a better driver, although I never conceded that point. We didn’t even talk about who was going to get behind the wheel that… Read More

“Intelligent life – while rare – is always growing and dying across the universe. But, it takes a long time for intelligent life to evolve, and none of the universe’s civilizations have ever existed at the right time and place to receive communications from the other civilizations. Just as a handful of sailors clinging to… Read More

“My godmother used to say that pro-life advocates are like superheroes: they protect the weakest among us from forces beyond our control.”   Ellie Endsley is standing, wrapped in a robe, typing thoughtfully at a tall, ornate desk. From the honorable Herman “Vitch” Avromovitch’s corner suite on the 45th floor, she can see the sun… Read More

“I’m gonna help you guys out,” Gonzo Garza types. He is responding to a message requesting the Speaker’s financial assistance for a long-shot political project in West Texas. “Go see Trent Thompson in Midland, and follow up with me after you talk to him.”   After he sends his response, Gonzo continues reviewing messages that… Read More

“I don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, or yellow. I don’t care if you’re homosexual, heterosexual, or asexual. I don’t care if your family has been in the United States for generations, or if you just got off a boat from the far-east yesterday. If you wanna work hard, and you wanna make some… Read More

James Carlos Cates flips through a recent edition of South Texas Catholic while he waits for Bishop Muñoz to return from the bathroom.   The magazine, which is published by the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi, includes an article about the Helping Hands Beach Restoration Project – an IRS-recognized Public Service Organization founded by Cates… Read More

The old ranch truck slides to a stop at the crossing of FM 669, and a cloud of dust washes over the truck. The passenger door creaks loudly as James Carlos Cates steps out to unchain the gate.   Britt Huff drives the truck across 669 while Cates closes and rechains the gate. Then Cates… Read More

Gonzo waits patiently as the others finish reading Ellie Endsley’s proposal.   “The Speaker would like to stop by while you’re here, El, to thank you for all your hard work on behalf of the state’s independents. But his calendar is very full today, so we’ll just have to see.”   Endsley’s hands are folded… Read More

The lunch hour is just beginning as Gonzo lumbers out of the Sam Houston Building tunnel.   He is tired, hung-over, and he needs to take his pills. As he winds his way through the back halls of the Capitol extension, he stops more than once to catch his breath.   The Interim Committee on… Read More

James Carlos Cates bends down and flips through the mid-20th century steel and iron signs leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs.   “Fresh brewed coffee”’ “Yes, we’re OPEN!” “SHELL” “Route 66”   Some of the signs are decaying so badly that the floor underneath them is dusted with rust.   He… Read More

Carol King slowly dries her hands as she looks at herself in the mirror.  The bathroom is empty, but she knows that at any moment, other guests from the fundraiser could appear.   She wishes they would; King hates to be alone.  She hates the quiet.  But she forces herself to be mindful of her… Read More

The door to Ellie Endsley’s office is closed.  Her chair is turned toward a 52-inch touch-panel display mounted to her wall – a communication tool provided by her attorney and friend, Francisco Orozco.  Orozco is a long-time political operative and attorney who specializes in protecting clients who operate in the legislative arena.   The sound… Read More

It’s after 9 pm, and James Carlos Cates has been driving since noon. He should be home by now, and his wife, Larisa, has tried to connect with him several times.  She made it clear in her last message that nothing is wrong at home, but she is worried about him.   His car announces… Read More

Carol King furiously types a response on her mobile: “My opinions of Ted and his efficacy have not changed. Yes, he may surprise us, but we have lots of real, face-to-face experience with him on which we can base our bet.  Has he ever helped us advance our objectives with the Governor? How many times… Read More

Carol King can see the protestors gathered outside the Speaker’s offices at the western end of the Capitol from her 15th floor office at 825 Congress Avenue.  She knows who sent them.   She cannot read the protestors’ signs, but she doesn’t need to. She is sure that some of them include disparaging shots at… Read More

Ellie Endsley’s warm smile comforts the nervous young intern candidate.   “I am grateful that we had this opportunity to meet and visit, Ms. Tyler,” Endsley says.  The girl, who is not sure whether to say ‘thank you’ or ‘you’re welcome,’ stands quickly and extends her hand.   Endsley also stands, with the help of… Read More

The Honorable James Carlos Cates, Uvalde County’s youngest-ever county judge, creeps carefully around the side of his house in the pre-dawn stillness.   Inside, his wife, Larisa, is asleep and very pregnant.  If Cates steps on any of the dead limbs or leaves that frequently blow into the yard from the nearby clusters of cedar… Read More